With Skilful Hand

The Story of King David

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One of the most complex characters of ancient scripture is brought to life.

Zadok has always served God. A scribe, codifier, keeper of records in the storerooms of the temple precincts where the tithes, offerings, and temple articles are kept, among his most cherished documents are a bundle of letters, personal journal entries, and fragments of formal records, over six hundred years old and absent from the official record, that belonged to King David.

In old age, widowed and alone, and with diminished responsibilities at the temple, he turns to these documents, arranging them chronologically to paint an intimate portrait of Israel's most revered king. In doing so Zadok gains a fuller understanding of this complicated and compelling man - a man who walked with God - and through him an assurance that his own choice to serve God has been worthwhile.

"In order to read Scripture properly, we must know not only its plain meaning but also the significance of that which is implied in the text. Judaism knows this oral tradition" as Midrash. David Barnard's story of King David belongs to this genre. With fidelity to the English text and respect for current scholarship, he has written an extremely readable and very believable book. People of all faiths, and none, will greatly enjoy it and learn much from it." Rabbi Dow Marmur"This imaginative re-interpretation of the story of King David is a remarkable book. While remaining faithful to Biblical and scholarly sources, Barnard brings alive the conflicted personal and cultural matrix of David's life and reign in a compelling manner. The complex humanity, as well as the individual and political struggles of the actors, are "proved on the pulses" of the modern reader ... This work of creative synthesis explores and illuminates some central theological questions canvassed by Zadok in his Prolog, without giving into the temptation of providing definitive answers or final interpretations." Catherine Harland, Department of English, Queen's University

David T. Barnard is president and vice-chancellor, University of Regina.